"You clueless little rascal! Can't you see we have guests? Go to the street and buy some meat pies, or maybe some meat buns, sesame flatbreads, and fried dough sticks. Just get a variety. Your sister and Dashan arrived early; they must not have eaten. Pick out something hot and hurry back."
Chen De'an speechlessly held out his hand. "Mother, the money?"
He complained, "Mother, I'm a person, not a centipede. I only have two hands. How am I supposed to carry all that?"
"Don't you have a brain? Can't you take a basket? If that's not enough, take the ox-cart!"
Kicked out of the house, Chen De'an felt the half-tael of silver in his hand and once again lamented, 'Why was I born the wrong gender!'
'If he were a girl, his mother would never have the heart to treat him this way.'
'She orders me around like livestock, without any regard for my status. I'm the eldest son and heir of the Chen family!'
